Animal Care is responsible for administering the Animal 

Welfare Act (AWA) and the Horse Protection Act (HPA). 

The AWA establishes requirements concerning the 

transportation, sale, and handling of certain animals 

and includes restrictions on the importation of live dogs 

for purposes of resale, prohibitions on animal fighting 

ventures, and provisions intended to prevent the theft 

of personal pets. The HPA seeks an end to horse soring 

(a procedure in which horses are subjected to chemical 

and/or mechanical irritants in order to enhance their 

gait) by preventing sore horses from participating in 

exhibitions, shows, sales, or auctions.

What We Do

Animal Care employs a host of veterinarians, animal care 

inspectors, compliance specialists, program specialists, 

and other administrative and support staff. These 

professionals use their wide range of scientific, technical, 

and administrative skills to accomplish Animal Care’s 

mission and administer the AWA and HPA. 

One of Animal Care’s primary responsibilities is to 

ensure that regulated animal breeders, dealers, brokers, 

transporters, exhibitors, and research facilities are licensed 

and registered under the AWA. Through inspections, 

outreach, and cooperative efforts, Animal Care works 

in concert with the regulated community to see 

that animals receive humane handling, care, 

treatment, and transportation.

The 

Chester A. Gipson 

Internship Program

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Cover photo of kitten is by Shutterstock. All other images in this brochure are 

by USDA employees.

Issued April 2018

Slightly revised July 2019

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

Program Aid No. 2226

for Students in Veterinary 

Medicine and Other Biomedical 

Science Fields

Animal Care, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant 

Health Inspection Service (APHIS), is proud to sponsor the Chester A. Gipson Internship 

Program for undergraduate and graduate students in veterinary medicine, for which a 

scholarship is provided.

For More Information

This internship may be available annually. To check 

availability or learn more, call the Animal Care Resource 

Management Support Staff at (301) 851-3751 or email 

us at gipsonscholarship@usda.gov. 

For more on Animal Care’s mission and work, visit us 

online at www.aphis.usda.gov/animalwelfare.
What is the USDA Pathways 

Program?

The USDA Pathways Program offers different “pathway” opportunities 

for students and recent graduates to work in agriculture, science, 

technology, math, environment, management, business, and many 

other fields. One of these pathways is the USDA Internship Program, 

which provides paid work experiences for current students. Animal 

Care participates in this program, offering the Chester A. Gipson 

scholarship to help ensure a steady stream of talented veterinarians 

on our staff. 

Internship Experiences

We are dedicated to attracting and recruiting a diverse workforce to 

advance our goals. We offer a wide range of learning opportunities 

across many functional areas so our interns are prepared for life 

in public veterinary and regulatory fields. In doing so, we see great 

value in hiring students to help them link academic learning with 

professional employment. 

As a Chester A. Gipson intern, you will experience real-world 

situations facing regulatory veterinarians every day. Interns in 

Animal Care may work in one or more of the following areas:

n Nonclinical Veterinary Care

n Compliance Inspections

n Policy Development

n Regulatory Enforcement

n Emergency Programs

n Outreach and Training

n Stakeholder Outreach and Engagement

Internship Benefits

The Chester A. Gipson Internship provides students with:

1. A scholarship of up to $7,500 per year for undergraduate studies 

and up to $15,000 for graduate studies for tuition, books, tutors, 

and laboratory fees.

2. Paid employment during summer and school breaks as a Veterinary 

Student Trainee, participation in the Federal Employees Retirement 

System and Thrift Savings Plan (401K), and paid vacation and sick 

leave. Based on the length of the work periods, compensation may 

also include health insurance benefits. 

3. The possibility of conversion, without further competition, to a 

permanent appointment with APHIS upon successful completion of 

a D.V.M. degree, training, and other work requirements. 

After completing all of the mandatory requirements for the USDA 

Pathways program, the student must sign a service agreement to 

commit to becoming a full-time agency employee for at least 1 calendar year (12 months) for each school year (2 semesters, 4 quarters, 

or the equivalent) that the student was covered by the internship. If the 

student intern does not accept an APHIS employment offer, he or she 

must reimburse all financial assistance (scholarship) received under 

the Chester A. Gipson Internship Program. If the intern fails to serve the 

entire length of the mandatory APHIS employment period, the student 

must reimburse the agency a prorated share of the funds awarded. 

Who Is Dr. 

Chester A. 

Gipson?

Dr. Gipson dedicated 

more than 30 years of his 

professional veterinary 

career to APHIS, working 

in various organizational units in USDA, including 

Veterinary Services (VS), Program and Policy 

Development, and Animal Care. During his time in 

VS, Dr. Gipson played a critical role in developing 

the Animal Care program and its policies. Later, 

as the Deputy Administrator of Animal Care, Dr. 

Gipson contributed to many advances in animal 

welfare, from policy and protocol development to 

management best practices.

During his 14 years in this role, Dr. Gipson was 

an essential part of the APHIS Leadership 

Team, lending his invaluable expertise and 

guidance on animal welfare issues. His influence 

has been global, and he has contributed to 

policy development and disease control in 

other countries (China and Australia) as well. 

Throughout his tenure in Animal Care, Dr. Gipson 

fostered relationships and partnerships that 

have made a long-lasting impact on APHIS, 

stakeholders, and many animal interest groups 

and organizations. 

Application and Eligibility

Interested students must apply online via www.usajobs.gov. Locate the 

announcement using the key words “Chester A. Gipson” in the search 

engine under the “Students and Recent Graduates” tab. Please note 

that you must have a USAJOBS account to apply. The announcement 

will open in the spring for approximately 1–2 weeks. All instructions 

in the job announcement must be followed in order to be considered. 

Upon entrance on duty, you must: 

1. Be a U.S. citizen, 

2. Be enrolled as a full-time student and/or accepted for 

enrollment in an accredited veterinary college or university 

with the United States—

a. Undergraduate applicants must have completed at least 2 years 

(60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours) of a 4-year pre-veterinary 

medicine or other biomedical science curriculum. 

b. Graduate student applicants must have completed not more 

than 1 full academic year of study in veterinary medicine. 

3. Be in good academic standing, and 

4. Sign a Pathways Agreement, committing to: 

a. Work for the agency during school breaks for a minimum of 

640 hours prior to completion of studies. 

b. Complete 40 hours of required training.

c. Meet with an assigned Mentor.

d. Participate in any on-boarding and orientation activities, as required. 

Required Documents 

The online application system will prompt you to answer 

self-assessment questions and to submit the following:

1. Resume;

2. Transcripts for all completed college work to date;

3. Proof of current enrollment on a full-time basis and/or, if applicable, 

a letter of acceptance to veterinary school; and 

4. A copy of your DD-214, if you are claiming Veterans’ Preference.

Additional supplemental information and documentation will be requested 

at a later date if you meet eligibility and initial application requirements.